


Sweet Cravings

by wintersoda97



Category: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Genre: Angst?, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-10-07 16:07:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10364325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wintersoda97/pseuds/wintersoda97
Summary: The boys talk about themselves. Handholding, shave ice, and arms over shoulders are involved. And maybe something extra.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I was taking the advice on rewriting an entire work from scratch to edit and ended up with something completely different than the original. Not too sure if I like this or the original version more, but this one is actually done so…*shrugs shoulders* This one takes place between 11 and 12. I hope you enjoy~! (^w^)bb

It’s strange.

A few weeks ago, Emu would try to wiggle out of Kiriya’s arm. But now, his arm over his shoulder doesn’t feel as uncomfortable like the first time, when Kiriya was trying to get close to him, to break down his guard with false camaraderie and a few smirks here and there.

Now, it is a genuine act of fondness.

It was a little embarrassing to learn that he was first person Kiriya trusted in a long time, especially after his words about trust coming from the heart. Whenever Kiriya puts his arm over his shoulders, he can’t deny that it makes him feel incredibly warm.

Still, Emu shifts a little when Kiriya pulls him close.

He’s not quite sure if it’s just the closeness or just how much it means to him or a mixture of both, but he gets really nervous.

His heart beats a little too fast for his liking.

Their faces only a breath apart. If either one of them moves a little closer, then…

A sudden slam on the table makes Emu jumps a little in his seat, and he realises that his posture had gone to a slump when he was lost in thought. He looks down at the table and sees an organized binder, before his eyes slowly pan up to see him standing across from Emu.

“Hiiro would probably scold you over that distant look you had on your face.”

“Hello to you too, Kiriya-san.” Emu curtly greets. Re-adjusting himself in his seat, Emu let out a small sigh of relief that it wasn’t actually Hiiro.

“Sorry, was that too loud?” Not waiting for Emu’s reply, Kiriya shoots a grin at him and continues, “I just finished work. You wanna go out for some shave ice?”

Emu ponders over the suggestion, questioning on why would he eat something cold in the winter before answering with a need for something sweet to counteract the gloomy days.

“Sure,” he answers, “Why not? I’m not on call right now.”

Emu joins, not just to go out for something sweet (although that's good too, sometimes). He has been trying to find situations where Kiriya would sling his arms over him. He could probably ask him and Kiriya would do so in a heartbeat, but he wouldn't want to come off as too clingy.

Maybe once they get to know each other better, he’ll ask.

* * *

 

The streets are a bit packed tonight, but the two still walked side by side; their hands just close enough to barely brush against each other. Their breaths come out in little puffs of smoke as they bantered about.

“So there’s not many people that work down in the office?”

“No,” Kiriya raised his hand up to count off the number of workers, “It's just me, Nisshi, and another older woman.”

When he brings his hand back to his side, he brushes his hand again on Emu’s. It’s much more noticeable for both of them, and they both pause.

People walk around them, annoyed of their taking up the sidewalk.

Emu gaze lingers a bit too long on their hands, and Kiriya soon speaks up. Emu looks towards Kiriya, and sees a mischievous glint his eyes. He teases, “Oh? Emu. Don’t tell me that you want to hold hands--?” his words awkwardly cut off, as if he was about to say more.

Emu doesn’t push it. He rubs his neck as he admits, “Yeah… I do.”

“Well, why didn't you say sooner?” Kiriya grabs his hand, a bit too eagerly, and yelps in surprise, “Whoa! They’re warm!”

“And yours are freezing!” Emu complains, but doesn’t withdraw from his hold. As they begin to walk again, hand in hand, Emu readjusts so that their fingers are interlocking. “I always thought that you were immune to the cold. Your jacket is always on your shoulders,” he comments.

“No, I’m not. As much as I wish, I don’t generate that much heat.” Kiriya readjusts his jacket with his free hand, “But I’m used to wearing it this way--more of a fan of the warmer temperatures, after all. And besides, doesn’t it look cooler this way?”

Now, it’s Emu’s turn to tease, “Oh? I never would have believed that you wanted to stand out and look cool~!”

Kiriya jokes, “A superhero needs his own cape or else no one will know that he is one!” He brings his hand up to rub his nose.

If Emu didn’t know what kind of person Kiriya was, he would have missed his hiding of the slight twitching by his lips. “That’s true,” he looks away and doesn’t say anything further.

A slight pause.

“Still,” Kiriya speaks up, “Your hands are pretty warm, Emu. I thought that you would be cold, just wearing that hoodie of yours.”

“Oh, that’s because of--,” digging around into his pocket, Emu pulls out a handheld console, “--this.”

Kiriya stares, dumbfounded, before laughing, “I should've guessed, ace.”

Emu pouts as he puts the console back into his pocket. They don’t say much else as they weave their way through the crowd; Kiriya leading them both to the shop.

Maybe, Emu thinks, the fact his hands being cold and his hands being warm isn't actually so bad as he first thought. There’s no fear of their hands getting too sweaty to keep holding, nor are both are their hands so cold, that it would be better to put them in in their own pockets.

He wishes that he could hold on forever, but two handed treats don’t grant either of them the luxury to do so.

The place that Kiriya took him to was more unassuming than Emu thought it would be.

It’s a small, wooden stand with the standard curtain bearing the character for ice. An array of vibrantly colored bottles of syrup stand on display and a small sign that described the most popular combinations. Chairs and tables were set out for the customers that wanted to sit down and relax while eating, but to sit outside on a winter’s night eating shaved ice is really pushing the limits that either of them could handle.

Kiriya gets a regular sized one with mango syrup, and as tempted as he was to try the shop’s game (the challenge was to eat 3,000 yen worth of shave ice under 5 minutes), Emu gets the same size as Kiriya, but with strawberry syrup and condensed milk on his.

The crowds seem to die down; the streets slowly empty as Kiriya and Emu walk towards the train station. Both of them eye the other’s shave ice as they eat their own.

“I’ve never tried it with condensed milk before,” Kiriya comments. “You enjoying it?”

“Yeah, it’s sweet but not too sweet,” he stops mid-bite, his spoon in the air above his cup, “The strawberry isn’t overpowering either; more tart than sweet,” Emu asks, “Do you want some?”

Rather than grabbing some with his own spoon, as Emu expected him to do, Kiriya leans in and tastes the treat on his spoon.

Emu stiffens in surprise, blinking a few times.

Balancing the flavored ice in his mouth, Kiriya says, “Huh, you’re right. It’s not bad.” He offers his own cup, and Emu has the decency to use his own spoon to taste it.

He brings his hand to his mouth, the moment the flavor hits his tongue, “That’s sour!”

“Surprised?” Kiriya laughs as he pokes his shave ice, “The shop makes its own syrup, and I can’t seem to figure out why it tastes anti-sweet. But I like it that way.”

“You don’t have that much of a sweet tooth.”

“Well, it really depends on what the sugar is in. Not a fan of liquefied sugars, but creamy and fluffy stuff is always good.”

They finish their shave ice, tossing their empty containers in the trash, before they get to the station. Once they paid for their ticket, Emu was about to say goodnight until he saw Kiriya’s ticket.

“We’re both going the same route?”

“Looks like it, ace. Although, I think I might have an earlier stop than you.”

“I see.” Emu comments, more in a questioning tone than anything else. It’s oddly strange of him to guess that he lives a bit further out from the city, even if it is true. Most people would guess that he lives close to the hospital, since it was his dream to be a doctor there.

Kiriya probably didn’t pick up on it, Emu thinks. Or maybe he did, but just didn’t want to delve into it.

Like the streets, the train cart had barely anybody else there. It wasn’t difficult to find sets where Emu and Kiriya could sit down next to each other. Neither of them talk. Kiriya stares off into the distance while Emu fidgets in his seat, his eyes move between Kiriya and his own lap contemplating on whether to ask, or to do, or to not.

Hesitantly, Emu raises his arm.

And puts it around Kiriya’s shoulders.

Kiriya doesn’t whip his head around like Emu was concerned about. He leans in closer; his eyes squinting a little like a cat. Kiriya whispers, ”Isn’t this something I usually do, Emu?”

“Isn’t this okay, once in awhile?”

Kiriya says nothing, but his lips curl as he lets out a small hum in agreement.

The cart stays silent, until soft snoring fills air. Emu isn’t too sure what stop Kiriya needs to get off on, and he doesn’t have the heart to wake him up and ask. He occasionally looks down to check on him, hoping that he’s having a good dream. He doesn’t stir in his sleep, and that helps keep Emu’s hold on him.

Emu wishes that the stops would last a little longer.

Or the train goes a little slower.

He wants to cherish these moments.

Being a rider means that either of them could lose their lives at anytime.

Today.

Or tomorrow.

Which reminds him, tomorrow is Christmas day.

Did he ask to go out with him tonight because it was Christmas Eve?

He should probably get him something.

A video game sounds like a good idea.

Or maybe, motor oil.

His thoughts slowly become less and less comprehensible as he feels the lure of sleep pulling himself in until the familiar announcement brings him back to reality.

“Kiriya-san?” He repeats his name as he gently taps on Kiriya’s face, until he twitches. “This is my stop.”

It doesn’t take much for him to get back on his feet. He stretches his neck and arms, and Emu couldn’t help but be a little jealous.

They both shiver as they leave the station.

“Don’t think your game can warm both of us up, huh?”

“No, but I don’t live too far from here. You can stay the night if you want.”

“Nah, I’m fine. I always have, you know.” He motions towards the inside of his jacket, most likely where his driver is stored.

“Are you sure? We can both ride together to the hospital. There’s going to be a party at CR; you can come too.”

“I’ve gotta make a private stop before work.”

“But--” Emu cuts himself off. Knowing that being pushy would get them nowhere and result in them both spending more time outside in the cold, they both start to walk to his place.

The small puffs of their breaths remind Emu of earlier that evening, but both their hands are in their pockets. He laments over the entire situation, concerned if he ruined the night by being a little too selfish.

“This is where I live,” Emu says, motioning towards the apartment complex.

Kiriya doesn’t comment; he only gives him a simple nod as he follows him to the door.

Before Emu could ask one last time--if he would like to come in for tea or coffee, at the very least--Kiriya kisses him. 

His eyes widen in surprise, and he can feel his heart racing, more so than any other point in the day.

Once he pulls away, he tries not to stumble from how much his heart was raising.

“We should do this again next time, Emu.”

"Yeah," Emu nods, "We should."


End file.
